Padding rack

ABSTRACT

A rack for holding a stack of paper sheets during formation of a pad from the sheets, and including a base on which the stack of sheets are placed, and means for locating predetermined edges of the sheets in aligned relation and then clamping the stack against the base to hold the edges in such aligned and adjacent positions while adhesive is applied to the edges to form the stack into a pad. Preferably, a single dual purpose locating and retaining structure is movable between a first position in which it is engageable by the sheet edges to align them, and a second position in which the structure acts to clamp the sheets against the base.

Juarez et a1.

[ 1 PADDING RACK [76] Inventors: Robert N. Juarez; Jean Juarez, both of 1202 Tressy, Glendora, Calif. 91740; Wesley E. Buford, 1042 Wingate, Covina, Calif. 91723 [22] Filed: May 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 473,130

[52] US. Cl 100/219; 11/1 B; 269/88 [51] Int. Cl B30b l/04 [58] Field of Search ll/l B; 100/219, 257;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,170,301 8/1939 Harry 11/] B 2,310,059 2/1943 Bond 2,499,744 3/1950 Goines et al 2,503,112 4/1950 Holtz 2,526,987 10/1950 Wilson 2,593,738 4/1952 Dollahite ll/1 B June 17, 1975 2,654,932 lO/l953 Goudie ll/l B UX 3,261,044 7/1966 Hoff ll/l B 3,413,668 12/1968 Bak et al. ll/l B Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam P. Green [57] ABSTRACT A rack for holding a stack of paper sheets during formation of a pad from the sheets, and including a base edges to align them, and a second position in which the structure acts to clamp the sheets against the base.

15 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PADDING RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to improved padding racks for use in locating and holding a stack or stacks of paper sheets in a relation enabling application of adhesive to predetermined edges of the sheets in a manner attaching them together to form a multi-sheet pad.

Various types of padding racks have been proposed in the past for use in securing a number of paper sheets together to form a pad, and including for example the devices shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,261,044, 2,310,059, 2,503,112, 2,593,738, and 2,170,301. These prior devices have in most instances included a base on which a stack of sheets may be placed in superimposed relation, and a clamping structure which is movable toward and away from the base to clamp the stack of sheets in position on the base. Also, some of these prior devices have included a part or parts adapted to be removably positioned at a location to engage edges of the sheets and locate them in alignment before the clamping operation.

None of these previously proposed devices has to our knowledge proven sufficiently practical and at the same time inexpensive to warrant any wide scale use of the devices by small print shops and the like in carrying out their usual practice of forming pads of different sizes from whatever scrap materials may be left over from their printing operations. Instead, the customary procedure in most print shops of which we have knowledge is still the time worn method of assembling stacks of papers by hand, and then holding them in position by placement of any convenient weight on the stacks while adhesive is applied to the edges of the papers. This procedure is very time consuming and inconvenient, and necessitates the use of a large amount of space for formation of a relatively few pads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A major object of the present invention is to provide a padding rack which is so simple and inexpensive as to place it easily within the price range of any print shop, and yet is also so effective in operation as to render it economically unfeasible for a print shop to continue use of the inefficient conventional method discussed above. In the preferred form of the invention, these results are achieved in part by employment of a unique dual purpose paper locating and retaining structure or element, which is movable between a first position of engagement with edges of the paper sheets to locate them in properly stacked relation, and a second position in which the same structure exerts force against the stack and clamps it tightly against the base of the device. Upon movement to this second clamping position, the dual purpose structure moves away from its position of engagement with the aligned edges of the paper sheets, to expose those edges for application of adhesive thereto. Desirably, the mentioned structure takes the form of a wall having a side surface for engaging the edges of the sheets in locating relation, and having also a lower edge adapted to bear downwardly against the stack and hold it in position while the adhesive is applied. This wall or structure may be mountable to the base by two different guide means, one mounting the wall for upward and downward sliding movement along a first path and into and out of a predetermined sheet locating position, and the other guide means mounting the wall for upward and downward sliding movement along a second path and into and out of a sheet clamping position. These two guides may be two pairs of grooves formed in a pair of spaced side walls projecting upwardly from the base.

An additional feature of the invention resides in a unique arrangement for releasably locking a wall of the above discussed type, or other clamping structure, against upward retracting movement from an active position in which it clamps a stack of paper against a supporting base. More particularly, the paper clamping structure may be slidably received between two spaced walls projecting upwardly from the base, with these spaced walls being tightenable toward one another and against the paper clamping structure by an associated locking unit, in a manner locking the paper clamping structure against upward withdrawal from its active clamping position. This locking unit may include an elongated member extending between the two walls and threadedly carrying a nut which acts when tightened to displace the two walls relatively together and into frictional gripping engagement with the intermediate paper contacting unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a padding rack formed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the rack in the condition in which adhesive is applied to a stack of paper sheets for forming a pad;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device in its FIG. 1 condition;

FIG. 4 is a vertical seciton taken on line 4--4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The padding device 10 shown in the drawing includes a base 11 on which a stack 12 of identical sheets of paper 13 may be positioned. The base 11 carries a pair of upwardly projecting spaced sidewalls 14 and 15 between which there is removably receivable a dual purpose paper locating and retaining wall 16.

As seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base 11 may be a flat rectangular rigid horizontal panel or wall, typically formed of plywood, a suitable rigid resinous plastic material, or any other appropriate substance. The parallel upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18 of base 11 desirably lie in horizontal planes when the rack is supported on a horizontal table surface or the like represented at 19 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The uppersurface 17 is then adapted to be contacted by and support the stack of sheets 12 which are to be adhered together to form a pad. In plan view, the peripheral outline of the horizontal base is defined by two parallel front and rear edges 20 and 21 and two parallel opposite side edges 22 and 23 disposed perpendicular to edges 20 and 21.

The two sidewalls 14 and 15 are essentially flat and substantially rectangular as seen in FIG. 4 and project upwardly parallel to one another and perpendicular to base 11. Each of these walls has planar inner and outer vertical surfaces 24 and 25, with lower portions of the inner surfaces 24 abutting against the opposite side edges 22 and 23 of base wall 11, as seen in FIG. 5. For retaining these walls in properly assembled relation, the base 11 may carry at its underside, adjacent the two side edges 22 and 23, a pair of elongated connector blocks 26 and 27 (FIG. whose upper surfaces 28 are rigidly cemented or otherwise secured to the undersurface of base wall 11. A pair of bolts or other connectors 29 extend inwardly through registering apertures or passages in side wall and block 26, with these bolts having heads 30 at the outer side of wall 15 and having thumb nuts 31 at the inner side of block 26 to tightly connect side wall 15 to base 11. Similarly, the opposite side wall 14 is secured to the base by a second pair of the bolts 29 extending through block 27 and having a second pair of nuts 31. The lower edges 32 of side walls 14 and 15 lie in a plane parallel to the planes of upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18 of base 11, to support the base in horizontal position as previously mentioned. Near their upper horizontal edges 33, the side walls 14 and 15 are interconnected by a crosspiece 34, which may take the form of a length of conventional wooden dowel material of uniform externally cylindrical crosssection. At its opposite ends, this crosspiece 34 may project into correspondingly dimensioned cylindrical recesses 35 formed in the inner sides of the two sidewalls 14 and 15 (FIG. 6), with transverse end surfaces 36 of the crosspiece being engageable against transverse end walls 37 of the grooves. The side walls 14 and 15 are sufficiently rigid to maintain this interfitting engagement with crosspiece 34 without the necessity for use of adhesive or other connecting means at the ends of the crosspiece, while at the same time walls 14 and 15 are free for very slight flexure forwardly of the location of the crosspiece for a purpose to be brought out at a later point.

The forward wall 16 of the device is, like the other discussed walls, of rectangular outline configuration, being defined by two parallel horizontal upper and lower edges 38 and 39, and two parallel vertical opposite side edges 40 and 41, and having parallel planar front and near surfaces 54 and 55. The opposite side edges 40'and 41 are, in the FIG. 1 condition of the device, slidably received within a first pair of vertical guide grooves 42 formed in the inner surfaces 24 of side walls 14 and 15 respectively, at locations spaced slightly forwardly of the forward edge 20 of base 11 (See FIG. 4). These grooves may terminate downwardly at the location of a pair of upwardly facing shoulders or end walls 43 of the grooves, which are engageable with the ends of bottom edge 39 in the position of FIGS. 1, 3.and 4 to support the forward wall 16 with its bottom edge essentially in horizontal alignment with the undersurface 18 of base 11.

Spaced rearwardly of the two grooves 42, the inne surfaces 24 of side walls 14 and 15 contain a second pair of vertical grooves 44, adapted to slidably receive the opposite side edges 40 and 41 of wall 16 in the FIG. 2 clamping position of wall 16. These grooves 44 terminate downwardly at the plane of the upper surface 17 of base 11, adjacent the forward edge 20 of the base.

Side walls 14 and 15 normally tend by their own stiffness and resilience to assume or return to precisely parallel positions, as represented in broken lines in FIG. 6. When the side walls are in these parallel positions, the front wall 16 is freely slidable upwardly and downwardly within either of the pairs of grooves, and is effectivelyconfined against removal from the grooves except by upward withdrawal therefrom.

When it is desired to lock wall 16 in a particular set position within grooves 44, this retention maybe effected by tightening of a locking assembly extending between the two walls 14 and 15..More, particularly this locking assembly may include an elongated horizontal rod 45 extending parallel to crosspiece 34 and perpendicular to walls 14 and 16, and having a first end 46 connected to wall 14 and a second end 47 threadedly and adjustably carrying a wing nut 48 at the outer side of wall 15 for exerting inward force against wall 15 through a washer 49. As seen in FIG. 7, the end 46 of rigid rod 45 may be turned downwardly at 46 after extension through a a first aperture 50 in wall l4,'and then be turned inwardly at 51 into a second aperture 51' in a relation enabling the rod 45 to exert horizontally inward force against wall 14, and also retaining the rod against rotation about its axis relative to wall 14. Rod 45 is located forwardly of crosspiece 36, and just slightly rearwardly of grooves 44, and acts upon tightening of nut 48 to exert sufficient inward force against walls 14 and 15 to bend them slightly toward one another against their natural resilience and from their natural precisely parallel positions, and to inwardly displaced positions represented in exagerated form in the full lines of FIG. 6, to thereby tighten walls 14 and 15 against the opposite side edges of front wall 16 in a manner frictionally retaining wall 16 against upward withdrawal from grooves 44.

In using the illustrated device, wall 16 is first slid downwardly within grooves 42 to the position illustrated in FIG. 1, and illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 3 and 4. For facilitating such insertion of wall 16 into and out of the grooves, this wall may have near its upper end a handle opening 52. With the forward wall in its FIG. 1 position, a user places a stack of the paper sheets 13 on the upper surface of base 11, and pushes or jiggles these sheets forwardly and laterally to positions in which the front edges 53 of the preferably identical and preferably rectangular sheets engage against, and are located in vertical alignment by, the rear vertical planar surface 55 of front wall 16. Similarly, the side edges 55 of the rectangular sheets are pushed or jiggled against the inner planar surface 24 of side wall 14 (or the corresponding inner surface 24 of side wall 15). Each of the vertical surfaces 24 is of course perpendicular to the rear surface 54 of front wall 16. Thus, the side edges 55 of the sheets are also aligned in a commonvertical plane. After the sheets have thus been accurately located on base 11, the operator holds the sheets in that setposition and then pulls front wall 16 upwardly out of grooves 42, following which wall 16 is reinserted downwardly into the rear pair of grooves 44, to the position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6 and shown in broken lines in FIGS. 3 and 4. Wall 16 is moved downwardly within grooves 44 until the lower horizontal edge 39 of the wall engages the upper surface of the top sheet in stack 12, at a location spaced ashort distance rearwardly of the forward edges 53 of the paper sheets (see FIG. 4). The operator presses wall 16 downwardly with sufficient force to tightly clamp the stack of sheets 12 against base 11 and positively retain the stack in the properly preset position. While the operator is thus pressing downwardly on wall 16, he tightens nut 48 on rod 45, to force the two side walls 14 and slightly toward one another against their stiffness and resilience, in a manner frictionally retaining and locking wall 16 against upward movement relative to sidewalls 14 and 1S and relative to the retained stack. Thus, the parts are locked in the FIG. 2 condition, with the vertically aligned forward edges 53 of sheets 13 exposed. The operator then applies adhesive to these forward edges, by a brush or other applicator, allows the adhesive to dry, and then releases nut 48 to allow upward removal of wall 16, and thereby allow removal of the completed pad from the device.

It is contemplated that the stack of sheets 13 may include one or more sheets of cardboard 56 at different locations in the stack, so that the edges of the paper sheets will by the adhesive be secured to the cardboard. After drying of the adhesive, each cardboard and a group of carried sheets can be separated from the next cardboard and its sheets, to form a series of separate backed scratch pads or the like.

While for simplicity of illustration the pads being formed have been shown as consisting of relatively short stacks of paper sheets, it.will be of course understood that in most instances the stacks of sheets may be relatively high, extending upwardly to any level beneath the location of the cross piece 34, in order to maximize the number of sheets or pads being adhered together at a single time. Also, there will normally be treated in a single operation two of the stacks engageable laterally against the inner surfaces of the two side walls 14 and 15 respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 1. If these stacks are of the same height a single setting of the front wall 16 will simultaneously clamp both stacks in position on the base.

While a certain specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited to this particular form, but rather is applicable broadly to all such variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A padding rack comprising:

a base having a surface on which a stack of paper sheets are to be supported;

a dual purpose paper contacting structure; and

means for mounting said structure selectively either in a first paper locating position relative to said base or a second adhesive applying position relative to the base; said structure, in said first position thereof, being positioned to engage corresponding edges of the sheets of said stack and limit movement thereof in a predetermined direction in a relation aligning said edges relative to one another, but being movable out of engagement with said aligned edges in said second position of the structure to expose said aligned edges for application of adhesive thereto;

said structure, in said second position thereof, being engageable against an upper sheet of said stack in a relation clamping said stack between said structure and said base to lock the sheets in aligned positions during application of adhesive thereto.

2. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said structure is a wall having a face at one side thereof engageable with said edges of the sheets in locating relation, and having a bottom edge engageable downwardly against the stack'of sheets in said second position.

3. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include means mounting said structure for sliding movement essentially toward and away from said base.

4. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two supports projecting upwardly above said base at spaced locations and mounting said structure for upward and downward sliding movement toward and away from the base and between said supports. 5

5. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means includefirst guide means mounting said structure for upward sliding "movement from said first position and along a first path for retraction out of engagement with said aligned edges of the sheets, and second guide means for then mounting said structure for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position of clamping engagement with the stack.

6. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include first guide means mounting said structure for upward sliding movement from said first position and along a first path for retraction out of engagement with said aligned edges of the sheets, and second guide means for then mounting said structure for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position of clamping engagement with the stack, there being means for locking said structure releasably in said second position of tight clamping en gagement with the stack.

7. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, including means for releasably locking said structure in said second position of clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.

8. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two supports projecting upwardly above said surface of the base in horizontally spaced relation for reception of said structure therebetween and having first guideways engageable with said structure to mount it for upward sliding movement from said first position thereof and along a first path, and second guideways engageable with said structure to mount it for downward sliding movement along a second path and to said second position of the structure.

9. A padding rack as recited in claim 8, including a locking structure for pulling said two supports slightly toward one another in a relation locking said structure releasably against upward sliding movement from said second position thereof.

10. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two mounting walls connected to said base and projecting upwardly therefrom essentially perpendicular to said surface and in horizontally spaced relation at opposite sides of said surface; said structure being a third wall receivable between said mounting walls and extending essentially perpendicular thereto and perpendicular to said surface of the base, and having a rear face engageable with said edges of said sheets in aligning relation, and a bottom edge engageable downwardly against said stack of sheets in said second position; said mounting means including a first pair of parallel grooves in said mounting walls respectively receiving and locating opposite edges of said third wall in said first position and guiding said third wall for upward sliding movement along a first path from said first position; said mounting means including also a second pair of guide grooves extending essentially parallel to said first grooves and spaced rearwardly therefrom and formed in said mounting walls respectively and adapted to receive said opposite edges of said third wall in a relation guiding said third wall for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position and into clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.

11. A padding rack as recited in claim 10, including a locking structure extending between said mounting walls and adapted to tighten said mounting walls slightly toward one another and against said third wall in a relation retaining said third wall releasably against upward retraction from a position of clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.

12. A padding rack comprising: a base having a surface on which a stack of sheets are to be positioned; two supports having lower portions connected to said base and projecting upwardly above said base in spaced relation at opposite sides of said surface; a clamping structure received between said supports and vguided thereby for downward sliding movement along a predetermined path to a clamping position of engagement with said stack for clamping it downwardly against the base during application of adhesive to exposed edges of the sheets; and a locking structure for tightening upper portions of said supports above said surface slightly toward one another and against said clamping structure in a relation releasably locking said clamping structure against upward retracting movement from said position of clamping engagement with said stack. 13. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, in which said supports are walls having guide grooves slidably receiving opposite edges of said clamping structure and frictionally engageable therewith when said upper portions of said supports are tightened toward one another.

14. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, including a cross piece extending between upper portions of said supports at locations offset from said locking structure. 15. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, in which said locking structure is an elongated member extending essentially horizontally between said supports and connected at a first end to one of said supports and threadedly carrying an adjusting nut at its opposite end for actuating said supports slightly toward one another. l= 

1. A padding rack comprising: a base having a surface on which a stack of paper sheets are to be supported; a dual purpose paper contacting structure; and means for mounting said structure selectively either in a first paper locating position relative to said base or a second adhesive applying position relative to the base; said structure, in said first position thereof, being positioned to engage corresponding edges of the sheets of said stack and limit movement thereof in a predetermined direction in a relation aligning said edges relative to one another, but being movable out of engagement with said aligned edges in said second position of the structure to expose said aligned edges for application of adhesive thereto; said structure, in said second position thereof, being engageable against an upper sheet of said stack in a relation clamping said stack between said structure and said base to lock the sheets in aligned positions during application of adhesive thereto.
 2. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said structure is a wall having a face at one side thereof engageable with said edges of the sheets in locating relation, and having a bottom edge engageable downwardly against the stack of sheets in said second position.
 3. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include means mounting said structure for sliding movement essentially toward and away from said base.
 4. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two supports projecting upwardly above said base at spaced locations and mounting said structure for upward and downward sliding movement toward and away from the base and between said supports.
 5. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include first guide means mounting said structure for upward sliding movement from said first position and along a first path for retraction out of engagement with said aligned edges of the sheets, and second guide means for then mounting said structure for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position of clamping engagement with the stack.
 6. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include first guide means mounting said structure for upward sliding movement from said first position and along a first path for retraction out of engagement with said aligned edges of the sheets, and second guide means for then mounting said structure for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position of clamping engagement with the stack, there being means for lockiNg said structure releasably in said second position of tight clamping engagement with the stack.
 7. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, including means for releasably locking said structure in said second position of clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.
 8. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two supports projecting upwardly above said surface of the base in horizontally spaced relation for reception of said structure therebetween and having first guideways engageable with said structure to mount it for upward sliding movement from said first position thereof and along a first path, and second guideways engageable with said structure to mount it for downward sliding movement along a second path and to said second position of the structure.
 9. A padding rack as recited in claim 8, including a locking structure for pulling said two supports slightly toward one another in a relation locking said structure releasably against upward sliding movement from said second position thereof.
 10. A padding rack as recited in claim 1, in which said mounting means include two mounting walls connected to said base and projecting upwardly therefrom essentially perpendicular to said surface and in horizontally spaced relation at opposite sides of said surface; said structure being a third wall receivable between said mounting walls and extending essentially perpendicular thereto and perpendicular to said surface of the base, and having a rear face engageable with said edges of said sheets in aligning relation, and a bottom edge engageable downwardly against said stack of sheets in said second position; said mounting means including a first pair of parallel grooves in said mounting walls respectively receiving and locating opposite edges of said third wall in said first position and guiding said third wall for upward sliding movement along a first path from said first position; said mounting means including also a second pair of guide grooves extending essentially parallel to said first grooves and spaced rearwardly therefrom and formed in said mounting walls respectively and adapted to receive said opposite edges of said third wall in a relation guiding said third wall for downward sliding movement along a second path to said second position and into clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.
 11. A padding rack as recited in claim 10, including a locking structure extending between said mounting walls and adapted to tighten said mounting walls slightly toward one another and against said third wall in a relation retaining said third wall releasably against upward retraction from a position of clamping engagement with said stack of sheets.
 12. A padding rack comprising: a base having a surface on which a stack of sheets are to be positioned; two supports having lower portions connected to said base and projecting upwardly above said base in spaced relation at opposite sides of said surface; a clamping structure received between said supports and guided thereby for downward sliding movement along a predetermined path to a clamping position of engagement with said stack for clamping it downwardly against the base during application of adhesive to exposed edges of the sheets; and a locking structure for tightening upper portions of said supports above said surface slightly toward one another and against said clamping structure in a relation releasably locking said clamping structure against upward retracting movement from said position of clamping engagement with said stack.
 13. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, in which said supports are walls having guide grooves slidably receiving opposite edges of said clamping structure and frictionally engageable therewith when said upper portions of said supports are tightened toward one another.
 14. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, including a cross piece extending between upper portions of said supports at locations offset from said locking structure.
 15. A padding rack as recited in claim 12, in which said locking structure is an elongated member extending essentially horizontally between said supports and connected at a first end to one of said supports and threadedly carrying an adjusting nut at its opposite end for actuating said supports slightly toward one another. 